Israel has accused Sir Keir Starmer of handing Hamas a “prize for terror” by agreeing to recognise a Palestinian state without making the move conditional on the release of the remaining hostages held in Gaza.
In a strong attack, the Israeli foreign minister, Gideon Sa’ar, said the British government must “understand the consequences” of its actions, which he described as “immoral and foolish”.
He said the announcement by the prime minister, along with similar moves by France and Canada, had “hardened” Hamas’s stance during recent peace talks and reduced the chances of the terrorist group handing over those hostages still in captivity.
“These countries must understand the consequences of their actions,” he said. “They claim that they seek the end of the war but their actions directly prolong it.
“These steps have only hardened Hamas’ stance during critical days in the negotiations for a hostage deal and ceasefire and rewarded them for their terror.
“It is a huge mistake. It is morally distorted. It is geopolitically foolish. It is time for these countries to do some soul searching.”
He added that recognition was “a pure prize for terror…a huge gift for Hamas.”
The government of the Israeli prime minister Binyamin Netanyahu has spoken out against the British announcement
OHAD ZWIGENBERG/AP
At the weekend, a senior member of Hamas hailed Starmer’s decision to recognise a Palestinian state as “one of the fruits of October 7”.
The prime minister is facing growing pressure domestically, including from Labour MPs, to delay recognition of Palestine until Hamas has released the remaining hostages.
Families of hostages and victims of the October 7 terror attacks will march on Downing Street on Sunday in protest against the prime minister’s plan.
Thousands are expected to join the rally, which will call on Starmer to insist Hamas first releases all of the 49 remaining hostages still in Gaza, 27 of them believed to be dead.
Images of Palestinians desperate for humanitarian aid have prompted some countries to move to recognise a Palestinian state
MAHMOUD ISSA/ANADOLU/GETTY IMAGES
Jewish leaders and antisemitism campaigners will join thousands on the National March For The Hostages through central London from 3pm, ending in a rally outside Downing Street at 4pm.
A spokesperson for The Hostages and Missing Families Forum said: “The images released by Hamas are undeniable evidence of cruelty and deliberate neglect. Our hostages are skeletal, tortured, and fading before the world’s eyes. This is not captivity but a slow execution. After 660 days, their only chance of survival is immediate release. On August 10th, we march in London to demand the world stop looking away. This is the final hour.”
Michael Weiger, chief executive of the Board of Deputies, said: “We call upon the Jewish community and all our allies to say loudly and clearly to government: No recognition of a Palestinian State until the hostages are released and the Hamas threat removed.”
Downing Street declined to say whether the release of all Israeli hostages was a condition for recognition, but insisted they must be freed “unconditionally and immediately”. It also refused to be drawn on whether Britain would recognise Palestine with Hamas still in power.
Asked on Monday whether formalising the move without a ceasefire could embolden Hamas to hold on to Israeli captives, the prime minister’s official spokesman said the government would assess the situation in September.
“The prime minister has been absolutely clear that, on October 7, Hamas perpetrated the worst massacre in Israel’s history,” he said. “Every day since then that horror has continued… as the foreign secretary said over the weekend, Hamas are rightly pariahs who can have no role in Gaza’s future.”
Asked whether a Palestinian state could be recognised while Hamas are still holding hostages, the spokesman said that “we’ll make an assessment ahead of the UN General Assembly on how far the parties have met the steps that we’ve set out”.
“We’ve been very clear that Hamas can have no role in the future governments of Gaza… We’ve also been clear that they must disarm, must release all the hostages.”
On whether the step could be taken while Hamas remain in power, the official said the government was clear that “Hamas are not the Palestinian people”.
“It is the inalienable right of the Palestinian people to have recognition along the lines and the steps that we’ve previously set out,” he said.
“We’ve also been very clear it cannot be in the hands of Hamas, a terrorist group, to have a veto over recognition of Palestine.”
Starmer announced last week that Britain would only refrain from recognising the state of Palestine at the UN general assembly next month if Israel allowed more aid into Gaza, stopped annexing land in the West Bank, agreed to a ceasefire and signed up to a long-term peace process over the next two months.
He has not made the release of the remaining hostages a condition of Palestinian statehood.